


Friday Nights

by the_creative_lie



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, One Shot, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_creative_lie/pseuds/the_creative_lie
Summary: Every friday night, Y/N helps Steve get ready for a date with a random girl. God forbids he finds out she's in love with him.
Relationships: Steve Harrington/Reader, Steve Harrington/You
Comments: 6
Kudos: 75





	Friday Nights

You watch amused as Steve fidgets with his clothes, his hair, everything. He keeps his gaze fixed on the reflection in the big mirror in the hall, and you can help but wonder how many days could he go without looking at himself. Maybe you should turn that into a bet.  
  
“Can I ask, once more, why am I here?” you let your head hit the pillow, dropping yourself unceremoniously on his bed and grabbing an old magazine from his nightstand. He turns to you and scoffs when he notices you’re not paying him attention.   
  
“Because,” he sprays some more Farrah Fawcett around, making you cough, “you’re supposed to be helping me get ready for my date with Allison.”   
  
“I still can’t believe you’re going out with Allison Daniels. She 's so boring.”   
  
“She’s not boring. She’s nice,” he complains, the bed dipping down when he sits next to you. He starts putting on his sneakers, the _nice_ ones.   
  
“I’m not saying she’s not nice. But last time I tried talking to her in Math it was like speaking with a piece of wet cardboard.I asked her what kind of music she liked and she said she doesn’t like music. Like, in general. She only listens to the radio because of the weather. The _weather_ , Steve.”   
  
“Whatever. At least I have plans. What are you gonna do on this lovely Friday evening, huh?” he finishes tying up his shoes and gives you a pointed look.   
  
“I’m, huh. I’m hanging out with the kids.” You lied. Well, he kinda had a point but he didn’t need to know that. Steve gets cocky when he knows he’s right. Because it _never_ happens.   
  
“Liar.” Oh, no. Busted. “I know that’s not true because Henderson told me they're busy with some nerdy science project tonight.”   
  
“Yeah, I’m helping them.”   
  
“Y/N, you don’t know jack shit about science.”   
  
You grunt, covering your face with the magazine. “Ugh, fine. I’m staying in, okay?”   
  
You wish you could punch that stupid smile off his face. He stands up, doing a ridiculous little twirl like he’s in the middle of a fashion show and poses with his hands on his hips.   
  
“How do I look?” he asks you, flashing a smile and popping up the collar of his denim jacket.   
  
Good, you want to say. Oh, _so good._ _  
_ _Forget-about-your-date-and-take-me-right-here-on-your-bed good._ _  
_ _  
_ “You look like shit.”   
  
He lets his hands fall at his sides and glares at you. You laugh, wondering if you should end his misery.   
  
“You look great, Harrington. She won’t know what hit her.” You put the magazine down and start putting on your jacket. You know this routine like the back of your hand, because it’s been going on for a couple of months now.   
  
First, Steve calls you saying he needs your help getting ready. He doesn't. Usually you just lay on his bed shit talking whoever it is he has decided to take to the movies or to a diner or whatever his plans are for the night. Meanwhile, he gets his hair puffed and tries to argue with you. He asks you how he looks. You tell him he’s good.   
  
And now, he’s gonna offer to drive you home, because hey, he has to pick up Allison or Megan or whoever anyway, and it’s not like it’s out of his way. And then you’re going to say no, thank you. And walk home. By yourself.   
  
“Hey, you want me to drop you off? It’s on the way.” So predictable, dear Steve. You shake your head.   
  
“I’m good, thanks. It’s a short walk.” You’re not lying. You only live a couple of blocks away. And usually walking by yourself helps you get rid of all the thoughts that plague your mind every friday night after leaving his house.   
  
Listen, it’s not like you were jealous. You’re not Steve’s girlfriend. You’re just, well, his girl-friend. And it’s not like anything will ever happen between the two of you. He sees you as one of the gang, one of the kids even, despite being the same age as him. Steve is protective and he has a big hero complex, you know that. After everything that happened at Starcourt, and that other time with the demodogs, there’s no way he’ll see you as anything else than just someone he has to protect. You must admit though, that you have kicked your fair amount of butt, so you think you can defend yourself, thank you very much.   
  
You wave at Steve as he gets in his car and watch as he drives away, to Allison’s house. You start walking home, turning on your walkman and placing your headphones in your ears. When his hair and his laugh and his face, his stupid face, don’t leave your mind, you have to concede to yourself that, hey, maybe you are a little bit jealous. You often find yourself imagining what it would be like if, just once, you were the girl Steve’s getting ready for, the girl he picks up on his shiny car, the one he takes to the movies.   
  
But you’re not the kind of girl Steve is looking for. You’re just his friend. In front of you, he can be gross and stupid. And you can be the same in front of him. Why would he want to date you when he’s seen you put chopsticks up your nose? You’ve seen the girls he takes on dates. They all look like something the printer would spit out if you were trying to clone Nancy Wheeler and it ran out of ink.   
  
You get home, noticing your dad’s car gone from the driveway. Your parents must have gone out for dinner. They left you a twenty on the counter for some pizza underneath a note with a smiley face.   
  
“Dirty Dancing it is.”   
  
  
****

  
Across town, in what's basically Hawkins only slightly fancy restaurant (in reality, an old italian place with shitty lighting and very uncomfortable chairs), Steve is trying his best not to fall asleep. Allison has been going on and on about something for the last twenty minutes, but his mind is elsewhere. 

"So I ended up buying the same shirt in three different colors." God, she really _is_ boring. He should have listened to Y/N. Y/N is somehow always right about the girls he dates. It would piss him off, but honestly it's a bit impressive.

"Huh. Smart." He spots Y/N's parents a couple of tables over and waves back at them with a smile. At least _someone_ in this god forsaken restaurant looks like they're having fun. Steve perks up a little and nods at whatever Allison is saying. How is it every word that comes out of her mouth just sounds _beige_?

"This pasta is really good. I'm glad I could order it with no sauce, it upsets my stomach, you know?" 

Wait a minute. If Y/N's parents are here, then that means she's spending friday night by herself. Again. Locked inside, watching some movie. Probably Dirty Dancing. He rolls his eyes at the thought.

"Have you seen any good movies lately?" he asks, in a last desperate attempt to salvage the wreckage that is this date.

"Hm, I don't really watch movies. I did see a commercial while I was waiting in line at the farmacy the other day. I guess it was funny."

Oh. My. God. Steve just wants to hit his head against the table. Curse the moment he decided to do this. Oh, how he wishes he was just hanging out with Y/N and the kids now. Or maybe just Y/N, if the little shits are too busy with school. He can't wait until he gets home so he can call her and tell her everything about this new disaster, just like every friday night. Of course he can already hear her smug "I told you so" in his head, and he _knows_ he has a full week of jokes at his expense waiting for him.

Maybe if the date doesn't drag on for too long he can stop by Y/N's house with some ice cream or some snacks. Give her parents some more alone time. They don't mind him staying over, really. Y/N 's parents _adore_ Steve. That's part of why he loves spending time at her place.

"Hmm, Steve?" he suddenly snaps back to reality and stares back blankly to Allison, who doesn't look too happy, "Are you okay? You're very quiet."

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Sorry, you were saying?"

"Listen, I don't think this is going to work out," she says, standing up. He blinks up at her, dumbfounded.

"It's just that...you're a little bit boring. Sorry. Thanks for dinner, though. And the ride. Don't worry, I'll just get a cab home." With that, she places the napkin back on the table, grabs her purse and her jacket and leaves. Steve just sits in silence, confused. 

Oh, Y/N's definitely going to laugh at him so much after this.

Something suddenly clicks in his brain. Y/N. Oh Lord, he's so stupid. How could he be _so_ stupid?

He throws some money on the table, waves at Y/N's parents and practically bolts out of the door and into his car.

***

The doorbell rings one, two, three times. Gee, when did the pizza delivery boy get so insistent? 

You open the door to find a very upset looking Steve Harrington. And by upset, you mean _angry_.

"Steve, what the hell are you doing here? What happened to your date?" you ask, moving out of the way when he comes inside and drops his car keys on the side table with a loud _bang_.

"You ruined it."

"Excuse me?" you furrow your brows, confused.

"You heard me. You ruined my date," he waves his hands through his hair nervously a couple of times, all messy and sticking out, long gone the perfectly curated Fawcett hairdo.

"How exactly did I ruin your date all the way from my couch, Harrington?" you ask, getting angry yourself. This is definitely the last thing you needed tonight.

"I didn't listen to a thing Allison said."

"That's hardly my fault, she has the charm of an expired vinegar bottle."  
  


"I didn't listen to a thing she said because I was thinking about you! I was too distracted thinking about you, and your stupid laugh, and your...your…" he freaks out, pointing at the tv, "your stupid movies. I knew you'd be watching Dirty Dancing! Why do you like that movie so damn much!?"

"I'm sorry, did you come all the way here to insult Patrick Swayze to my face?"

"And then she walked out on me. _She_ walked out on _me,_ Y/N."

"Woah, bruised your ego a bit?"

"I'm not joking around, Y/N!"

You blink and raise your hands in surrender. Gee, someone's touchy.

"I just don't know why you're here, Steve."

"Don't you get it, Y/N? It's you. It was always you." He takes a few steps forward, dangerously close now. Your breath hitches a little bit, and your mouth refuses to speak. "I am so stupid. I can't believe I didn't realize it until now. Every night I was out there, the only thing I could think of was going back home, picking up the phone and calling you to tell you all about it. You _get_ me, Y/N. And I get you. And I understand if you don't feel the same way but I think we make sense, _this_ makes sense. Of course it's you, and your dumb jokes and that laugh of yours that breaks me every time I hear it." 

You're nearly touching now, and all it would take is one more movement. One more step and then-

"Steve." He closes his eyes, anticipating the worst. He doesn't know. Of course he doesn't know. "You really are stupid. I've been in love with you ever since we met."

His eyes open in surprise, shocked but delighted, and get back closed when you crash your lips against his and he melts into the kiss. You grab him by his t-shirt and pull him down, your heart beating faster and faster. 

When you finally pull away, you're both out of breath and smiling like idiots. You punch him in the shoulder and laugh.

"So, Harrington, where are you taking me next friday night?"  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! Small one shot for my boy Steve who I love so much. Lemme know what you thought down in the comments!!


End file.
